North Macedonia and the United States have shown over the past decades how to build a sincere and constructive but also successful friendship. This friendship was the foundation of our NATO membership. North Macedonia had this strategic goal for 30 years and we could count on U.S. support during these three decades, said Defense Minister Radmila Shekerinska on Monday.
Minister Shekerinska held a joint press conference with U.S. Army Europe Deputy Commanding General Maj. Gen. Joseph Jarrard, who is paying an official visit to North Macedonia.
“There is no closer cooperation than entrusting your life to the soldier standing next to you, and this is what Macedonian and U.S. troops have been doing over the years, especially in Afghanistan, first as part of ISAF and then within Resolute Support,” said Shekerinska.
She said cooperation with NATO and the United States continued on the enhancement of the capacities of Krivolak army field, supported by the members of the 15th Engineering Battalion of the U.S. Army, who are set to arrive in North Macedonia in the course of February.
“Krivolak will demonstrate its worth when hosting exercise ‘Decisive Strike 21’ this summer, including about 2,000 members of the armed forces of North Macedonia, United States, Bulgaria and Greece,” noted Shekerinska.
Major-General Jarrard said North Macedonia is a valued security partner both in regional and global terms, adding that improvement of the army’s interoperability is significant for the purpose of its preparedness and NATO’s collective defense.
“The Army of North Macedonia has been partnering with the Vermont National Guard for years. The country has also been a leader in regional security initiatives such as the US-Adriatic Charter and the Balkan Medical Task Force,” said Jarrard.
According to him, the coming exercise will reinforce the already strong ties between the two countries.
“These exercises demonstrate the capabilities of the U.S. Army Europe and Africa to serve as strategic security partner in the Western Balkans and the Black Sea regions,,” said Jarrard.
